Sunday 8 May 2011 18.49 EDT
First published on Sunday 8 May 2011 18.49 EDT

The Liberal Democrats will attempt to show their influence in government when they unveil a system to identify pensioners struggling to make ends meet. Pensions minister Steve Webb will announce a "material deprivation" indicator to assess quality of life, including whether older people get one filling meal a day, whether they socialise, and whether they could pay an unexpected £200. They will be asked if they have access to 15 goods, services and experiences seen as "discriminators of deprivation". Webb said: "We are piloting ways to help older people overcome social isolation."